Market Newsdesk

• Annual program donates a day’s worth of trading commissions generated by BMO Capital Markets in Toronto, New York, and London
• Has raised almost C$30 million and supported more than 5000 students since its inception in 2005

TORONTO, NEW YORK, and LONDON, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ – BMO Capital Markets today announced that its 2022 Equity Through Education (ETE) trading day, held on September 20, 2022, raised C$1.65 million toward educational assistance for students around the world.

Every year BMO donates 100 per cent of one day’s institutional equity trading commissions in North America and Europe to charities that provide scholarships, bursaries, mentoring programs, and development opportunities to underprivileged students to help them achieve their potential.

“This year I had the pleasure of being on our London trading floor for Equity Through Education and the energy was inspiring as we watched the donation amount grow throughout the day. This is the 18^th year of this program and it’s still going strong – helping BMO Boldly Grow the Good in business and life,” said Dan Barclay, CEO and Group Head, BMO Capital Markets. “ETE benefits promising students around the world through financial aid and development programs that promote diversity and inclusion and help them make progress.”

“Back in my country [Tanzania], girls have always been worried about taking STEM subjects because they think they are only for men. I’m looking at the greater goal: There are people behind me who want to enter into this field of study. If I don’t give it my best, then they won’t be able to make it. So, motivation is greater than the worry,” said Glorious Dongwe, a student in Metals and Energy Finance at Imperial College London and a scholar through BMO’s Equity Through Education program.

The proceeds from this year’s Equity Through Education trading day will go to the following charities:

• The Jackie Robinson Foundation
• The Brokerage
• The Children’s Aid Foundation of Canada
• The Financial Women’s Association
• Imperial College of London
• Indspire
• Lime Connect
• The Loran Scholars Foundation
• Women in Capital Markets Return to Bay Street Program

Since its inception in 2005, the program has raised nearly $30 million and helped more than 5000 students achieve their academic potential. For more information, visit Our Culture.

Serving customers for 200 years and counting, BMO is a highly diversified financial services provider – the 8th largest bank, by assets, in North America. With total assets of $1.07 trillion as of July 31, 2022, and a team of diverse and highly engaged employees, BMO provides a broad range of personal and commercial banking, wealth management and investment banking products and services to more than 12 million customers and conducts business through three operating groups: Personal and Commercial Banking, BMO Wealth Management and BMO Capital Markets.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/bmos-18th-global-equity-through-education-trading-day-raises-c1-65-million-for-education-and-development-of-students-in-need-301629740.html

SOURCE BMO Financial Group

With Complete Cover™ and Donor Cover, Supporters Can Choose Whether to Help Cover a Charitable Organization’s Processing Fees for Online Donations and Event Registration

CHARLESTON, S.C.
, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB), the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good, has announced the general availability of two new features for Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT® and eTapestry® forms in the U.S. and Canada that will help charitable organizations raise more with reduced processing costs associated with online gifts, and event and membership registrations. 

Complete Cover™ and donor cover are two fee-cover models for addressing the online processing costs that any merchant incurs when taking credit card payments. Complete Cover and donor cover will give social good organizations sustainable ways to reduce fees while delighting their supporters with options in how they support the organization and its cause.

Donor cover is a model widely available in the market that gives supporters information about costs for their specific online transaction. The supporter is given the simple “yes” or “no” option to cover those costs. The outcome for the organization is directly tied to the action of the supporter: the organization pays fees when the supporter chooses not to cover them. The number of supporters who participate determines how much savings an organization can realize.

Complete Cover is a new model and is unique to Blackbaud in that it covers the organization’s cost of processing, so organizations receive 100% of eligible transactions. It empowers supporters to choose at checkout if they want to contribute toward processing costs. Any extra amount given by a supporter is optional and will go toward enabling and processing the transaction. 

Both fee-cover models are now available to Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT and Blackbaud eTapestry customers in the U.S. and Canada.  Blackbaud Raiser’s Edge NXT customers will be able to use these features for donation and registration forms, while eTapestry customers can apply the features to donation, event and membership forms. As standard features, Complete Cover and donor cover options will be presented in the form editor tool. Customers have the option to select a cover option of their choosing for each form they create. Learn more about Complete Cover and donor cover for online forms here.

For more information on when these features will be available to more customers, register to attend the Blackbaud Product Update Briefings (Oct. 19-20) to learn more.

Blackbaud (NASDAQ: BLKB) is the world’s leading cloud software company powering social good. Serving the entire social good community—nonprofits, higher education institutions, K–12 schools, healthcare organizations, faith communities, arts and cultural organizations, foundations, companies and individual change agents—Blackbaud connects and empowers organizations to increase their impact through cloud software, services, expertise and data intelligence. The Blackbaud portfolio is tailored to the unique needs of vertical markets, with solutions for fundraising and CRM, marketing, advocacy, peer-to-peer fundraising, corporate social responsibility (CSR) and environmental, social and governance (ESG), school management, ticketing, grantmaking, financial management, payment processing and analytics. Serving the industry for more than four decades, Blackbaud is a remote-first company headquartered in Charleston, South Carolina, with operations in the United States, Australia, Canada, Costa Rica and the United Kingdom. For more information, visit  www.blackbaud.com or follow us on Twitter, LinkedIn, Instagram and Facebook.

Media Inquiries

[email protected] 

Except for historical information, all of the statements, expectations, and assumptions contained in this news release are forward-looking statements that involve a number of risks and uncertainties, including statements regarding expected benefits of products and product features. Although Blackbaud attempts to be accurate in making these forward-looking statements, it is possible that future circumstances might differ from the assumptions on which such statements are based. In addition, other important factors that could cause results to differ materially include the following: general economic risks; uncertainty regarding increased business and renewals from existing customers; continued success in sales growth; management of integration of acquired companies and other risks associated with acquisitions; risks associated with successful implementation of multiple integrated software products; the ability to attract and retain key personnel; risks associated with management of growth; lengthy sales and implementation cycles, particularly in larger organization; technological changes that make our products and services less competitive; and the other risk factors set forth from time to time in the SEC filings for Blackbaud, copies of which are available free of charge at the SEC’s website at www.sec.gov or upon request from Blackbaud’s investor relations department. All Blackbaud product names appearing herein are trademarks or registered trademarks of Blackbaud, Inc.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/blackbaud-launches-two-new-features-for-raisers-edge-nxt-and-etapestry-forms-to-reduce-costs-for-social-good-organizations-301629613.html

SOURCE Blackbaud, Inc.

Agora’s new report also found that 60% prefer to use a service with spatial audio in the Metaverse

SANTA CLARA, Calif.
, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Agora, Inc. (NASDAQ: API), a pioneer and leading platform for real-time engagement APIs, today announced the results of a commissioned study that examines Gen Z preferences regarding spatial audio. The study is released ahead of RTE2022, the world’s largest conference exploring real-time engagement (RTE) technologies, set to take place from October 10 to October 12, 2022.

Spatial audio enables users to hear three-dimensional (3D) audio, mirroring how sound behaves in the real world, where each sound originates from a specific location. From the Metaverse to video conferencing, spatial audio is creating opportunities to digest video and audio content in new and immersive ways, with companies like Meta and Apple investing heavily in the technology.

For the study, Agora surveyed over 1,500 Gen Z consumers to get their thoughts on spatial audio. Key results include:

Prior to the survey, nearly half (49%) of respondents had heard of spatial audio, though 51% were either unaware of the technology or not sure if they had heard of it before. Relatedly, half of respondents (50%) agree there have been fewer advances to live audio experiences compared to live video over the years.

“This technology is in its infancy from an adoption standpoint as large technology companies – whether content, software or hardware-focused – are only just beginning to invest in it,” said Tony Zhao, Co-founder and CEO of Agora. “However, its awareness among Gen Z is fairly high – and growing. They are welcoming it as much-needed innovation, especially as interest in the Metaverse and virtual content consumption continues to surge.”

When asked in what setting spatial audio experiences are most important, gaming (24%) and watching TV shows or movies (21%) took the lead, followed by virtual shows or concerts (14%), audiobooks/podcasts (9%), online presentations (9%), and virtual hangouts (9%). Virtual tours of a physical space (8%) and in-store shopping experiences (5%) were deemed the least important settings for spatial audio experiences.

In line with Gen Z’s awareness of spatial audio, nearly 80% (79%) of respondents said they would pay for new headphones with spatial audio features – while over one-quarter (28%) say they would pay regardless of price.

“The Gen Z audience sees the value of spatial audio and is willing to invest in the hardware required to experience it,” said Zhao. “These numbers should give technology companies greater confidence when considering whether or not to invest in spatial audio features and capabilities.”

Meanwhile, 26% said they wouldn’t want to pay more than $50 for new headphones with spatial audio capabilities and 25% wouldn’t want to pay more than $100.

Looking at the Metaverse, 60% of Gen Z consumers said they’d prefer to use a Metaverse service with 3D spatial audio, meaning voices and sounds in the virtual environment are heard based on proximity to the sound source. A little over one-third (34%) were neutral, with 6% saying they wouldn’t prefer to use a service with 3D spatial audio in the Metaverse.

“As more brands get involved in the metaverse, technology like spatial audio will be a necessity to creating immersive, engaging experiences during virtual interactions,” said Zhao. “There is clear interest from consumers to invest in hardware to experience spatial audio, and businesses across industries should find ways to get involved in this niche, yet important part of delivering immersive experiences.”

Agora is the leading Real-time Engagement Platform as a Service (RTE PaaS) company. Agora’s mission is to make real-time engagement ubiquitous, allowing everyone to interact with anyone, in any application, anytime and anywhere. Agora’s platform provides developers with simple, flexible and powerful application programming interfaces, or APIs, to embed real-time video and voice engagement experiences into their applications.

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/survey-almost-80-of-gen-z-consumers-will-pay-to-experience-spatial-audio-301629681.html

SOURCE Agora

Female-Founded Spirit Inspires Consumers to Adopt Strong Routines for a Successful Fall & Beyond

NEW YORK
, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — 21Seeds, the award-winning infused tequila, today announces its “Back To Routine” Fall campaign, seeking to inspire consumers to take time for themselves while getting back into the swing of things after a busy summer – sharing top tips for organization, self-care, at home entertaining and more. 21Seeds is the simple cocktail making solution to implement as the seasons change, freeing up time for the most important parts of a routine from reconnecting, planning ahead, and making more time for fun.

21Seeds was founded in 2019 by three female entrepreneurs–sisters Kat Hantas and Nicole Emanuel, alongside their friend Sarika Singh– with a vision to create a great-tasting infused tequila that’s as easy to mix as pouring a glass of wine. Complete with its light touch flavor, 21Seeds makes any tequila cocktail taste better and is perfect for all occasions. Available in Cucumber Jalapeño, Valencia Orange, and Grapefruit Hibiscus, the brand has skyrocketed to popularity for its unique and delicious flavor profiles as well as ease of use.

Like her co-founders, Kat Hantas was a busy mom with a fulfilling day job. Looking for an easy to mix and approachable alternative for wine, Kat kicked off her side-hustle of creating 21Seeds and grew the brand at a meteoric pace¹. However, Hantas strongly believes she couldn’t have managed a thriving career, parenting, and a burgeoning entrepreneurial journey without sticking to a set of auspicious routines. As part of the “Back To Routine” campaign, Kat is sharing some of her most useful tips for getting back into the swing of things after a busy summer – from staying organized to hosting made simple with party planning solutions and of course 21Seeds infused tequila.

Teaming up with Kat as part of the “Back To Routine” campaign is lifestyle expert and television personality JoJo Fletcher who also knows a thing or two about finding simple solutions to help make life easier.

“I’m so excited to be sharing some of the routines that are essential in my own day to day schedule with JoJo Fletcher this Fall- from getting back onto the fitness wagon to how to avoid being stuck behind the bar at your next book club gathering,” says Kat Hantas, co-founder of 21Seeds. 

Here are some of Jojo’s best “Back to Routine” tips:

• For me, getting back to routine starts with getting my selfcare on track and surroundings cleaned up – I always say less is more! Do a deep clean as you transition into the fall season and get rid of the items that no longer bring you daily functionality. Organizational tools such as holders, bins and labels make everything easier as you sort through and find places for items such as on a bar cart. Stick to drinks you make most often and ones with minimal ingredients – my current favorite is 21Seeds because you can make a perfectly simple and refreshing tasting cocktail in seconds.
• I also love taking a hot shower, doing my nighttime skincare routine & having a hot tea before bed – there is something about a hot tea that calms me down and eases me towards a restful sleep.
• Another thing that has helped with my self-care is taking walks in the evening a few days a week with Jordan to spend time together just the two of us, away from work and our daily stresses.

Here are some of Kat’s top “Back To Routine” tips:

• Nothing brings me more joy than spending uninterrupted, quality time with my girlfriends. I recently started a podcast club where we choose a podcast and then gather together to discuss, eat a good meal and enjoy some delicious 21Seeds cocktails. For a quick and easy cocktail solution, I put out a Seed and Soda bar and let my friends make their own drinks exactly the way they want them!
  
  Seed & Soda Bar
• 3 bottles of 21Seeds Tequila (valencia orange, grapefruit hibiscus, cucumber jalapeno)
• A selection of club sodas
• A nice selection of garnishes (sliced oranges, lemons, limes, grapefruits, fresh basil, fresh mint etc.)
• A fun selection of glassware (a glass for everyone’s personality)
• 1 bottle of juice (watermelon, Pineapple etc.)
• Another thing that sets me up for success as a new season approaches is a new planner. Many folks get their planner in January, but as a mom, we have a different fiscal end of year and that is the end of summer.
• Lastly, for me, getting back into a routine means working out regularly. My trick is to start small, and it takes 21 days to create a good habit, so for 21 days I start my mornings with a 21-minute workout.

The 21Seeds founders have set out to prove that a good cocktail doesn’t have to be complicated. And with an ABV of 35%, each variant can be mixed into simple-to-make, spritz-style cocktails with only one or two ingredients, such as the brand’s signature serve, the ‘Seed and Soda’.

21Seeds encourages all 21+ consumers to enjoy their easy-to-mix cocktails responsibly.

¹ IWSR, 2020: 2019-2020 volume

21Seeds was founded in 2019 by three female entrepreneurs – sisters Kat Hantas and Nicole Emanual, along with their friend Sarika Singh – whose vision was to create great tasting, smooth spirits with light touch flavor that are easy to mix and enjoy. In March 2022, Diageo announced its acquisition of the brand, a rapidly growing infused tequila available in three varieties: Valencia Orange, Grapefruit Hibiscus and Cucumber Jalapeño with an ABV of 35%. The founders will continue to work on 21Seeds, collaborating closely with the Diageo North America team utilizing its resources and capabilities to further build on the brand’s success. For more on the 21Seeds portfolio in addition to cocktail recipes, visit www.21seeds.com, and follow the brand on Instagram (@21Seeds) and Facebook (@21Seeds).

Diageo is a global leader in beverage alcohol with an outstanding collection of brands including Johnnie Walker, Crown Royal, Bulleit and Buchanan’s whiskies, Smirnoff, Cîroc and Ketel One vodkas, Casamigos, DeLeon and Don Julio tequilas, Captain Morgan, Baileys, Tanqueray and Guinness.

Diageo is listed on both the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE: DEO) and the London Stock Exchange (LSE: DGE) and their products are sold in more than 180 countries around the world. For more information about Diageo, their people, brands, and performance, visit www.diageo.com. Visit Diageo’s global responsible drinking resource, www.DRINKiQ.com, for information, initiatives, and ways to share best practice.

Follow on Twitter and Instagram for news and information about Diageo North America: @Diageo_NA.

CONTACT: Jason Greenspan, [email protected]

View original content to download multimedia:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/21seeds-tequila-announces-back-to-routine-301629630.html

SOURCE 21Seeds Tequila

WASHINGTON
, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — The future of advanced fighter pilot training is leaping into the virtual world as Boeing (NYSE: BA) and augmented reality developer Red 6 announced they are collaborating to develop leading edge aerial dogfighting technology and training in advanced tactical aircraft. Boeing is the first company to team with Red 6 on this type of advanced training technology.

The joint agreement sets the stage for future integration of Red 6’s Advanced Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), and Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment (ARCADE) into Boeing manufactured next-generation aircraft. The T-7 and F-15EX platforms could be among the first to receive ATARS and ARCADE.

Using the system, pilots will be able to see and interact with augmented reality aircraft, targets, and threats on the ground or in the air while flying and training in their actual aircraft, reducing the cost of and need for multiple platforms and ‘real world training exercises.’

“We continue to revolutionize the way we train and fight. Red 6’s Augmented Reality system with the pathfinding T-7 and the F-15EX represents another transformational leap in capability. This agreement is the latest example of Boeing’s commitment to investing in technology and our drive to lead innovation in the aerospace and defense sectors,” said Dan Gillian, Vice President, and General Manager of U.S. Government Services for Boeing Global Services.

According to Red 6, ATARS enables a multitude of tactical training scenarios delivered through augmented reality. These include air combat maneuvers, refueling, tactical formation and surface-to-air weapon engagements. ARCADE increases the efficiency of mission planning, briefing, and debriefing through real-time 3D visualizations to construct and re-construct sorties.

“Readiness and lethality are critical if our warfighters are to prevail against peer adversaries. Boeing’s next-generation platforms will be the first aircraft in the world that are capable of entering our augmented reality training environment. Together, we will deliver a paradigm shift in the quality, quantity, and cost of training future pilots,” said Daniel Robinson, Founder and CEO of Red 6.

As a leading global aerospace company, Boeing develops, manufactures, and services commercial airplanes, defense products and space systems for customers in more than 150 countries. As a top U.S. exporter, the company leverages the talents of a global supplier base to advance economic opportunity, sustainability, and community impact. Boeing’s diverse team is committed to innovating for the future, leading with sustainability, and cultivating a culture based on the company’s core values of safety, quality, and integrity. Join our team and find your purpose at boeing.com/careers.

Red 6, founded in 2018, is the creator of Airborne Tactical Augmented Reality System (ATARS), Combined Augmented Reality Battlespace Operational Network (CARBON), and Augmented Reality Command and Analytic Data Environment (ARCADE). Red 6 systems are the first wide field-of-view, full color demonstrably proven outdoor augmented reality solution that operate in dynamic outdoor environments. Together, they bring virtual and constructive assets into the real-world by allowing pilots and ground operators to see synthetic threats in real-time, outdoors, and critically, in high-speed environments. 

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/boeing-red-6-to-advance-fighter-pilot-training-with-augmented-reality-301628688.html

SOURCE Red Six Aerospace, Inc

New plant brings additional liquid hydrogen capacity to Europe

ROTTERDAM, The Netherlands
, Sept. 21, 2022 /PRNewswire/ — Air Products (NYSE: APD) today announced plans to start construction of a second hydrogen liquefaction plant in Rotterdam, the Netherlands. This new source is in addition to the company’s existing liquid hydrogen plant in Botlek, the Netherlands. Once operational in 2025, the plant will double Europe’s total current liquid hydrogen capacity.

Liquid hydrogen produced at the plant will be used to supply increased demands from high tech industries as well as the mobility market. It will contribute to the decarbonisation of heavy-duty vehicles on Europe’s path to climate neutrality by 2050.

Air Products is committed to contribute to the role of hydrogen in the energy transition. This project is an important milestone and a great addition to Air Products’ hydrogen capabilities in Europe.

Air Products (NYSE:APD) is a world-leading industrial gases company in operation for 80 years. Focused on serving energy, environment and emerging markets, the Company provides essential industrial gases, related equipment and applications expertise to customers in dozens of industries, including refining, chemical, metals, electronics, manufacturing, and food and beverage. Air Products is also the global leader in the supply of liquefied natural gas process technology and equipment. The Company develops, engineers, builds, owns and operates some of the world’s largest industrial gas projects, including: gasification projects that sustainably convert abundant natural resources into syngas for the production of high-value power, fuels and chemicals; carbon capture projects; and world-scale carbon-free hydrogen projects supporting global transportation and the energy transition.

The Company had fiscal 2021 sales of $10.3 billion from operations in over 50 countries and has a current market capitalization of nearly $55 billion. More than 20,000 passionate, talented and committed employees from diverse backgrounds are driven by Air Products’ higher purpose to create innovative solutions that benefit the environment, enhance sustainability and address the challenges facing customers, communities, and the world. For more information, visit www.airproducts.com or follow us on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook or Instagram.

Cautionary Note Regarding Forward-Looking Statements: This release contains “forward-looking statements” within the safe harbor provisions of the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995. These forward-looking statements are based on management’s expectations and assumptions as of the date of this release and are not guarantees of future performance. 
While forward-looking statements are made in good faith and based on assumptions, expectations and projections that management believes are reasonable based on currently available information, actual performance and financial results may differ materially from projections and estimates expressed in the forward-looking statements because of many factors
, including risk factors described in our Annual Report on Form 10-K for the fiscal year ended September 30, 2021. 
Except as required by law, we disclaim any obligation or undertaking to update or revise any forward-looking statements contained herein to reflect any change in the assumptions, beliefs or expectations or any change in events, conditions or circumstances upon which any such forward-looking statements are based.

View original content:https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/air-products-to-start-construction-of-second-liquid-hydrogen-plant-in-rotterdam-301629763.html

SOURCE Air Products